The Board of Secrets Edited
by samlover14
Summary: No one ever told me I wrote dumb. This is a rewrite of The Board of Secrets. TroyxRyan/Tryan! Some very minor Troyella and Ryelsi. Peripheral Chaylor, Jelsi, Zekepay. Extremely minor Ryella and Troypay . Ryan gets drunk and can't remember what happened that night. Gabriella? What? But Ryan likes Troy? Brain blast. Read at your own risk, bro.
1. Blame It On The Alcohol

The Board Of Secrets – Edited.  
By samlover14

* * *

The Board of Secrets  
GPS (General Plot Synopsis): In effect, not changed at all, only edited because I used to write stupid.  
Issues to be fixed: Personality switch, continuity errors, sexuality errors, less aggressive Ryan, more sympathetic Troy, more Chad, less Chuckie (Sorreh.)

* * *

**A/N: Hai. Samantha here. Honest to God, I will be updating this story. If I haven't updated in a week, seriously, send me a PM and tell me to get a move on. There is no excuse for me. **

**Basically, this story is the same story as the first one, but think of it as the extended disco version. I've added some things and deleted some things, especially towards the ending. There is a lot of information in here that wasn't in the original, and, honestly, why didn't any of you ever tell me I wrote stupid?  
**

**Enjoy, and I'll see you at the end.**

* * *

**Chapter One: Blame It On The Alcohol.**

There I was. The music was loud, the beer was cold. That's right, ladies and gentlemen, Ryan Evans drinks beer. And Chad will probably never let me live it down.

There was really no way to tell through the raging party that the room we were all dancing in was normally a living room. Sharpay was around, on the stage with a microphone, of course. Zeke, her number one fan, was watching in adoration from the edge of the stage. Kelsi, my best friend, was, last I'd head, down the hall somewhere with Jason, at least that's what I'd heard. I hadn't heard they were going out again, but who knows?

Lovely Gabriella, my other best friend, was sitting near the edge of the room, on the opposite side as the stage, next to the front door, tears falling down her face. Her boyfriend, East High's Golden Troy Bolton, He-Who-Can-Do-No-Wrong, God's-Gift-To-Women, was probably to blame. I looked around, finally spotting him near the backdoor, laying on the couch with one of his basketball goons, both staring at me. I frowned at them and made to go over to Gabriella.

"Hey guys," I said, finally making my way through the crowd to Gabriella and Taylor. "Why so sad?"

"Gabriella, well, she and Troy just broke up," said Taylor.

"Isn't that a good thing?" I asked, cracking a grin. Taylor slapped me and I dropped the grin, trying to backtrack. "Well, he's such an ass, I figured…"

"That's not the problem, Ryan," Gabriella said. "The problem is, well, what it is… I, well…"

"Gabi, is there something you'd like to share with the whole class?" I asked.

"Not really," she said, slumping into the couch.

"Okay, that's fine." I took Taylor's vacated seat and drained the can I was holding. "You don't have to talk about it." She sighed as I threw the can into the midst of the crowd for the hell of it. "What?"

"Ryan, I – I don't know what to do. Troy's been such a jerk, but I'm not really even sure about anything these days and I just need…" Gabriella began. "I just need…" Tears ran down her beautiful face. "I just need…" She sniffed loudly and tried one more time. "I just think that I need…" She was too close. All the red alerts in my head were flashing, but I ignored them all as my lips joined hers. "Sorry," she muttered after.

"Don't apologize," I said, "half my fault too."

"I put the idea in your head," she mumbled. She seemed disgusted that she'd let herself kiss me. I should have been insulted.

"D'you wanna go somewhere quieter and you can tell me what it is that you 'just need'?" I suggested. She nodded and together we progressed upstairs to my bedroom, Troy's eyes on our backs the whole way.

* * *

As much as I try to remember, the events of that night will probably always be fuzzy. All I remember is laughing, a little bit of dancing, and that the Morning After was the worst day of my life.

* * *

When I woke up, the morning sun was pouring in through the glass doors that led to my balcony. I rolled over to get the sun out of my face, and rolled right out of bed. I took in my surroundings. An unopened can of beer on my nightstand, a girl's top and bottom hanging from my curtain rod as if to dry for some reason. Had we gone swimming? That's when I realized… A head of black hair in my bed, the one that the clothes belonged to: Gabriella. Fortunately the sheets were covering her (what I could only assume was) naked body, as I had pulled the comforter off when I'd fallen out of bed.

Hung over as hell (indicating I'd drank a few more than I could remember), I stumbled into the bathroom to take a shower. In the shower, a lot of thoughts ran through my head.

At the top of the list was Gabriella. See, at that point, I was about 98% sure I was, well, gay. Maybe everyone else though they knew I was, but I still wasn't 100%. Sometimes I still think I'm a little straighter when I'm drunk, and I was drunk almost all of that summer. The thing is, all previous evidence pointed to homosexual: my general demeanor, my enormous crush on Troy, my childhood experiences…

This is changing the subject a little, but when I was about 8, I'd had my first gay crush, and it wasn't on Troy. It had been on my best friend at the time, Bobby. Bobby came out at 13. He transferred schools when we started high school, but his boyfriend got him into drugs, and last I heard they were a couple states away from here. I digress. The point is, I'd kind of always been about 95% sure I was gay, despite the face I'd never had a boyfriend, a girlfriend, or any kind of experience with anyone.

Not knowing what had happened the night before, and examining the evidence, I was led to the conclusion that Gabriella had managed to seduce me. I turned off the shower and wrapped a towel around my waist before going back into my room. I deliberated over an outfit for a while before choosing a pair of khaki shorts and a navy polo. And of course a hat.

"Good morning, starshine," Gabriella said from behind me, making me jump.

"Mm…. good morning," I replied, slightly less than thrilled. "And how are you?"

"Fine thanks," she said. I turned my back on her as she got up. "So last night was fun, huh?"

"Mm…" I said again.

"Are you not going to talk to me?" She sounded hurt. "After everything we–"

"Look, Gabriella, I'm not exactly sure what went on last night, and I'm not altogether sure I even want to know," I added before she could tell me in all the horny details, the thought of which were making my stomach churn, "but I can probably guess, and I–"

"Well, you were pretty drunk, but I expected–"

"Yeah, I was. And it's not nice to take advantage of people when they're drunk," I said. "I've never… I mean…" I trailed off. Where we come from, it's embarrassing to admit you're a good guy still at 17.

"I haven't either," Gabriella said. "I thought what we had was special." I couldn't believe my ears. Why on earth would she choose me instead of Troy?

"No, it wasn't. It wasn't fair and it sure as hell wasn't special. Just… go use your own boyfriend next time. And that's not me," I said, leaving my room, swearing at myself inside, going down the stairs and into the dining room, where Troy and the Wildcats were waiting with applause and cheers.

"Encore!" "Nice work, Evans!" "Congrats, dude, I underestimated you!" "Guess he is straight after all." "You owe me 20 bucks." "Ow!"

I ignored all of it. They assumed, just as I did, that I'd slept with Gabriella the night before. Troy was glaring at me. Sensing the rising tension as I made some Toaster Strudel, the Wildcats cleared out, leaving me and Troy alone.

"What the hell?" Troy finally asked. "Gabriella dumps me and spends the night with you? What is this world coming to?"

"I have asked myself that very same question 14 times since I woke up," I responded. Troy was going to kill me, I knew it. Surrendering my fate, I looked up at his face. Only confusion lay there, no contempt.

"Seriously, what the hell? Why you? Probably she told you we never did…" Troy trailed off. He didn't sound angry, per se…

"Troy, I'm so sorry. I was drunk, I can't even remember–" I began.

"This isn't just some random chick, Evans, this is my Gabi," Troy said, a bit louder. I couldn't think of anything to say. "Your gay ass not going to say anything? Figures." He snorted.

"Look, _Bolton_, I said, putting particular emphasis on the use of his last name, not something I usually did. "I was drunk, Gabriella wasn't. She took advantage of me, not the other way around. Don't act like she's totally innocent here. And don't ever let me hear you calling me that again," I added for good measure, even though I was about 93% sure I was, it was rude to say. I disappeared though the door behind me into the lounge, then made my way through the maze of doors that led out to the Gardens. Sure, the sunlight was hell for my head, but the slight breeze felt nice. I sat inside a hedge I had once used as a fort – back when I'd had some friends… Bobby and I spent years in these gardens…

About ten minutes passed before I was found. None other than Chad Danforth poked his head into my hedge-fort.

"What?" I demanded, perhaps a little more forcefully that I would have liked.

"I heard what Gabi did to you," Chad said, sitting down in the hedge-fort with me, even though I hadn't invited him in.

"You and the five hundred thousand other people in Albuquerque," I said, unable to look at him.

"Couldn't believe it man. Still don't."

"I don't really want to talk about it," I said, still looking at the ground.

"Okay," he agreed. He didn't say anything else, just sat. Finally, I looked at him. He was just staring at me.

"Okay, you didn't come all the way out here just to tell me that," I said. "What do you want?"

"Thought you might want to talk. Isn't that what we usually do?" he asked. It was, but I hadn't ever told him – or anyone, not even Kelsi or Sharpay – what I was thinking right then.

"Fine," I agreed. "Talk."

"I guess it's no use telling you Troy and Gabriella made up." I snorted. "And Troy thinks you're an ass."

"I am," I agreed, "and so is he."

"No, you're not. Troy's an ass, and Gabi's a bitch, if she did that to you," Chad said. I couldn't believe he'd just said that about his best friend. Maybe I could. "You don't deserve all the crap everyone gives you. And if you say you're straight I'll believe you." There it was. He wanted my confirmation. I was about 86% sure that I wasn't straight. It's like… how am I supposed to know? There's no Being Gay for Dummies book. I googled it. And then I goggle imaged it. Which was a mistake. But also kind of awesome.

"I don't know," I sighed. "It's one of the current possibilities. I…" I cast my mind around. "I was going to talk to Kelsi about this, but…you're here. I know it's probably a little too much information for you, but you're my only guy friend."

"I'm flattered, but I'm straight, thanks," Chad interrupted quickly.

"Um…_no_," I said, rolling my eyes. "The truth is, I can't tell. I'm about 83% sure that I'm not straight, but I've never had a girlfriend _or_ a boyfriend. The only experience I've ever had is, apparently, last night, which I can't remember, but the only person I find really attractive is… well, Troy." Chad looked at me sideways and fidgeted awkwardly. "I know, I know, he doesn't swing like that. You don't have to tell me."

"Nah… It's just… about freaking time," Chad finally said.

"What?" Utterly perplexed, that was the only word I could make.

"The guys and I have had this bet since like the sixth or seventh grade on when you were going to admit you had feelings for Troy," Chad explained.

"Oh, great," I mumbled. "And I don't have _feelings_ for Troy. He's just hot. These are just, I dunno, stirrings." Chad raised his eyebrows, skeptically. "Alright, feelings, damn you. I don't want to be with him or anything, that's…. well maybe I do." I grinned a little bit, but dropped it at the look on Chad's face.

"You've lasted much longer than most of us bet you would," Chad said.

"I can't believe you guys would take bets on something that serious," I said, disapprovingly.

"It's all in fun," he replied, shrugging.

"When did you bet?"

"Graduation. Guess I was off, huh?" Chad said, sheepishly.

"Not really. So who's listening to our little conversation?" I asked, looking around for the hidden camera. Chad had been known to film his best friends and broadcast them on a webcam for the world to see.

"No one. It's just us, I swear." There was a silence. The wind blew the hedge-fort slightly.

"I think we need to find me a girlfriend," I said.

"Don't you mean… Troy?" Chad said, grinning. I frowned at him. He wasn't helping.

"No, Troy's a big jerk. A great big jerk. I don't care if I think he's sexy as hell–"

"Who doesn't?" Chad interjected.

"I can't just ignore the 12 years of torture I've endured because of him. I can't imagine–" I couldn't say it. I couldn't voice my fears that my feelings could turn to more than that. That they could turn into total, obsessional, I-need-to-be-with-you, complete and total, outright LOVE. I'd never been in love and I didn't know what it felt like. This couldn't possibly be _this_ difficult for everyone, could it? "If I somehow ended up in love with Troy," I began, following my thoughts aloud for Chad's sake, "and I told him, but he doesn't feel the same way, there's no way I'd be…" I couldn't tell Chad what I'd probably do. That was private, even to him. "It wouldn't be pretty."

"Don't worry," Chad said. "I wouldn't let him do anything to you. You're cool." It wasn't what Troy would do that I was afraid of.

"Thanks, I think," I said. "And if you breathe a word of this to anyone else, you're dead."

"Ooh, Ryan Evans is threatening me. However shall I defend myself?" Chad joked. "Whatever will he do? Hit me with his hat?"

"Of course not, that would be a waste of a good hat. I do have other things to hit you with, though. Like… Sharpay." Chad gasped.

"You wouldn't."

"No, I wouldn't. I'd say you've had more than enough of her for one lifetime. But I could if I wanted to. You have been warned."

"Got it. I wouldn't anyway," Chad said.

"Thanks." I stood up and stretched. If I was going back inside, it was now or never. Chad got up as well and we left the hedge-fort and ran into the last person I wanted to see.

"Well, well, well, what have we here?"

* * *

**A/N: Me again. It's probably not worth the cliff hangers, because you can just go to the original story and see what happens next, but I might have a new generation of reader who would like a little surprise.**

**As I've said about 19028398234 times before, I don't own HSM, RENT, Friends, Legally Blonde, George Bush, Avenue Q, Phineas and Ferb, Gossip Girl, Starkid, or Glee. Or anything else. Really. All I have is this computer and a 32" TV. Please don't sue me.  
**

**xoxo,  
Samantha/samlover14/£ily£una  
**


	2. Wake Up Call

**Chapter Two: Wake Up Call**

"Well, well, well, what have we here?" Troy, of course. Who else? Chad didn't look capable of speech, so, being the brilliant actor I am, I pulled a line out of my ass.

"Well! This has been fun! But, as you can imagine, I have much to attend to, what with the Wizard's unexpected departure. So, if there are no further questions?"

"What?" Troy finally asked, after staring at me for almost a minute. "I – what? There's a Wizard?" Chad was on the verge of laughter.

"The Wizard of Oz, dumbass," I muttered, attempting to brush passed him, but he caught my wrist.

"Dude. I'm sorry about this morning. You were right, man," Troy said. I pulled my arm out of his grasp with a force he probably didn't think I could achieve.

"Chad told me you made up with her," I said.

"Yeah, I did. It was… It doesn't excuse me from saying what I did. I'm sorry. Even if she isn't," Troy said, offering his hand for shaking. I took it warily.

"Are you serious? Because if you're not, that's just mean," I said.

"Yeah, I'm serious," he said, pulling our handshake into a bro hug/chest bump. Chad looked slightly uncomfortable, as if he knew something no one else did. "Let's go in. Sharpay has been asking for you for the last 20 minutes." He led the way back into the house. I'd like to take this time to point out that as much as Troy was hot, I was totally opposed to the idea of being anything more than friends, and even _that_ was a big step for us. We had pretty much hared each other since he had given Sharpay and me chicken pox in the first grade. Back in reality, Troy looked lost.

"Where are you going?" I asked.

"It's this room with all kinds of quaint figurines," Troy said, staring around hopelessly.

"Third door on the left," I said. "You know the word 'quaint'?" Chad laughed.

"Coming from the guy who couldn't read 'Go Drama Club' off the Basketball team's shirts?" Troy shot back. Chad laughed harder.

"Hey!" I protested, but I didn't have an excuse. Not one I could tell them anyway. Inside the aforementioned room, Sharpay, Zeke, Kelsi, and Jason were waiting for us. I wondered where Gabriella had gone, but didn't put too much thought into it. I say in one of the fluffy armchairs lining the room. The room's purpose was lost on me, but Mom's an interior decorator and we have a _lot_ of pointless rooms. Everyone's eyes were on me. "What's up, guys?" No one said a word. Finally, Sharpay.

"Well, I guess congratulations are in order," she said.

"What?" I blurted. "Why?"

"For coming out, so to speak," Chad said. "The student body seems to be taking last night as all the confirmation they needed." This was surprising from him of all people.

"Granted, I have to say, I always thought it would be the other way," Sharpay said.

"Thanks," I mumbled. "If it had been the other way, would we still be here having this conversation?" I looked around the room for answers. Kelsi was smiling and nodding, as were Chad and Sharpay. Zeke was on board as well. Jason was asleep. Finally, I looked up at Troy. His face was that of acceptance, nothing more. He wasn't interested. And neither was I. "Thanks."

"Gabi went home," Kelsi said, in answer to my unspoken thoughts. "She didn't want to stay." Kelsi was probably the only girl I liked to talk to, besides Sharpay. We'd have chats backstage, after rehearsals. We'd go shopping together. She was more of a sister to me than Sharpay was. Don't get me wrong, Sharpay is my twin and I love her, but Kelsi is truly my best friend through thick and thin. "And you know that's not really a big surprise, given where she's coming from," Kelsi finished. The entire room looked at me, as if for an answer.

"Sorry, Kels, I wasn't listening," I said. "Thinking."

"Don't hurt yourself," Chad interjected quickly. I stuck out my tongue at him.

"Just some stuff about Gabriella. What she did was inexcusable," Kelsi reiterated.

"No kidding," Chad said. I was surprised that he would talk like that in front of Troy, his best friend since preschool. "She's a bitch, man, forget her." Though this seemed to be pointed at Troy, he just laughed and smiled with anyone else as they said various thing about Gabriella. But I know how he felt inside. Cheated. Horrible. Worthless.

* * *

That afternoon, I snuck up into the piano room on the fourth floor. I played the piano, of course, but I wasn't as good as Kelsi. Absentmindedly, I began playing the music to Breaking Free. I half expected someone to interrupt me, but I was alone with my thoughts. Alone with the thought of rejection, the thought of being forever alone, the thoughts that had driven me to be what I am in the first place. To drink myself stupid until I couldn't even recognize my own sister trying to save me. Memories of the previous night jumbled as they flew through my brain.

"_All you need is a girlfriend," Gabriella had said. "Or a boyfriend," she added hastily.  
"I'm an alcoholic," I'd said, taking a drink of beer.  
"Ryan…" Gabriella said, fear in her eyes as she backed away from me.  
"Don't get yourself hurt trying to protect me," I'd begged.  
"Gimme your best shot."_

Nothing made sense. The bottom line was that that night had been a wakeup call, and I needed to stop. I didn't know how I could. My attempts to even cut back had all failed. Alcohol was my one vice – my whole family's one vice. My Dad had been a raging alcoholic for many, many years, finally sobering up after meeting my mom. Maybe I just needed to find that one person…

My thoughts landed on Troy again, but no matter what fantasy I created, it never changed the fact that he didn't want or deserve me. I eventually ended up wandering downstairs to Sharpay's room.

"Yes?" she called as I walked in.

"We need to talk," I said, shutting the door, even though no one was home but us.

"What's up, Ryan?" she asked me. I looked up, then realized it wasn't worth the joke.

"I'm pretty sure I'm not straight. I'm like 79% sure," I said, without preface.

"I know," Sharpay replied. "You're just realizing this?"

"Well, yeah," I said, crossing my arms defensively.

"Honey," Sharpay said, patting the bed beside her. I took a seat on it. "I hate to break it to you, but mumsy and I have known for years."

"Years? Known what exactly?"

"That you're totally gay and in love with Troy Bolton. I don't blame you, he's a fox. But he's mine."

"He doesn't even want you," I said, rolling my eyes. "He's made it very clear he wants that…that…" I couldn't do it. Everything I could remember about the night before and everything I knew about myself screamed the opposite.

"Slut," Sharpay suggested.

"Yeah, her. Not you or me."

"I do have the better chance though, let's be honest," Sharpay said.

"Yes, let's. He dumped you. I'm pretty sure Troy Bolton has a higher probability of being gay than wanting you back," I countered.

"Whatever helps you sleep at night, Ry," Sharpay said, rolling her eyes.

"Plus, I'm only like 75% sure that I'm not straight. This time next year I could be shacking up with Kelsi."

"I know you love Kelsi, but–"

"_That_ is a brilliant idea, Shar," I interrupted her. "I'll ask Kelsi out, we'll go on a few fates, and then I'll know. I'll know, right?"

"I know I'm straight as a Chad," Sharpay said, perplexed. "But I've never really questioned it."

"Like a hanging chad?" I asked.

"No, like our friend Chad. He is the ruler by which straightness is measured," she replied.

"I'm only like 72% sure I'm not straight as Chad," I said.

"Am I the only one noticing you're getting less and less sure everything you give a percent?"

"No, I am," I said. "I started at 98 this morning."

* * *

**A/N: **Thank you, my lovely readers, for sticking with me, especially those who have been with me from the beginning. This fandom needs a serious reawakening. Go reread BitterGrin's trilogy about Troy and Ryan being werewolves, because I just did and they are absolutely fantastic.

I don't own anything, blah, blah, blah, like High School Musical, Wicked, the Wizard of Oz, Maroon 5 (and their song Wake Up Call), the hanging chads from the 2000 election, blah, blah, BitterGrin (please don't hurt me I love you), blah…

You know you love me,  
xoxo  
Samantha/samlover14/£


	3. Just That Girl

**Chapter Three: Just That Girl**

The next morning found me walking into the Lava Springs Country Club's kitchen looking for Kelsi. "Ah, children, how goes the food preparation?" I asked.

"Oui, dude, c'est bonne!" Chad exclaimed.

"Didn't you take German?" I asked, laughing.

"French is more waiterish, don'tcha think?"

"Ah, oui!" I agreed. "Ou est Kelsi? J'ai besoin de parler avec elle."

"What?" Chad asked. His French evidently stopped just short of basic questions.

"Where's Kelsi, dude?" I translated myself.

"Just finished playing pour le petit-dejeuner. What's up?" Kelsi said from behind me. I jumped.

"Can we talk?" I asked. She nodded. We went to my bedroom which would be free of eavesdroppers. I sat down on my bed, she took my desk chair.

"So, what do you want to talk about?" she asked me, as the silence ticked on.

"Honestly, I thought you'd have figured it out by now," I sighed.

"Oh, it's about Troy, isn't it?"

"Lucky guess or did you actually know?" She gave me a mysterious smile.

"I knew. I mean, seriously, how long have we been best friends? I've never seen you look at anyone besides him, let alone a girl."

"That's why I turn to you," I said.

"Oh, let me guess, I love this game," Kelsi said excitedly, bouncing up and down. "Since I'm your very best friend, and I'm oh-so-single, you're hoping I'll be your 'girlfriend' for a while."

"My God, you're brilliant!" I exclaimed. Was that flirting? I could have her if I wanted her, why was I flirting and so badly at that?

Let's rewind: Kelsi and I had been best friends since she'd moved here in the second grade. She'd grown up with Bobby and I. When Bobby and his boyfriend, Billy (who had a terrible edge), came over to announce they were leaving for prep school, things had gotten a little out of hand. Billy had called Kelsi a fag hag, which is not a very nice thing to call anyone or really say at all. I'd lost control and punched him. That was the day Kelsi had come to terms with the fact that she was in love with me, realizing it then for the first time, and keeping it with her even now. If I snapped my fingers and told her she was my girlfriend, she would always comply. It broke my heart to do it to her, but I wanted to give her a chance, a chance to turn me back to what I never was.

"I guess if the way you dress and your mondo crush on Troy Bolton isn't enough, I'd be happy to let you take me out a few times," she sighed. I grinned. "Are you going to ask me properly or are we just going to run with this?" I got off my bed, walked over to her, and dropped to my knee.

"Kelsi Aisha Nielson, will you be my girlfriend?" I asked.

"Absolutely," she laughed. She took my hand and we got to our feet, then walked back downstairs to the kitchen. It was 10:30; I thought a snack was in order.

"Yo, Zeke, can we have a snack?" I called.

"Coming right up!" he replied. Chad, who was passing by, stopped dead. No one else was around.

"Dude?" he asked tentatively.

"She knows. I'm experimenting," I said. Chad nodded.

"Sure," he said, discreetly attempting to roll his eyes. "Troy wants to talk to you sometime today."

"That's nice. I'll talk to him when I find time," I said. Kelsi gave me a look. "Kels, I know he still blames me for Saturday and I'm not even sure I want to talk to him." She continued her look. "Fine. I'll talk to him during his afternoon break. Tell him, Chad, would you?" Chad walked back to the dining room. Zeke came over with our food.

"Congrats, you guys, I suppose," he said. Kelsi grinned.

"Thanks," We dug into our snacks. I sighed as we finished. "What?" she asked.

"I have to go and talk to Gabi," I said, "and I'm not looking forward to it."

"Good luck sweetheart," she said, winking.

"Bye hun." I got up and walked out to the pool. Gabriella was sitting in her lifeguard's chair, with her back to me. I walked up behind her. "Hey." She jumped about a mile. I laughed as she turned around, breaking into a sincere smile.

"Hey Ry," she said. "What are you doing out here?"

"We need to talk about Saturday night," I sighed.

"What's there to tell? The whole school knows what happened, just ask one of them," she said, darkly, glaring across the pool.

"Gabi," I said, sternly. "I want the whole truth. Why did you even kiss me in the first place?"

"It seemed like a good idea," she said, shrugging. "I thought you liked me. I wasn't wrong."

"I did like you, at least, probably I did when I intoxicated," I said. "It doesn't excuse–"

"I don't know why you're so mad at me!" Gabriella exclaimed, examining the pool for drowning members. "You know I would _never–_"

"But you did," I interrupted. "I never would have thought you capable."

"Wait," Gabriella stopped. "You don't remember any of that night, do you?"

"Not a thing after we got upstairs," I affirmed.

"Oh," Gabriella said, her eyes widening just enough to make me wonder what she knew I didn't.

"You're sorry, right?" I asked her.

"Sorry?" she asked, surprised. "For what?" I sighed in frustration.

"I've been apologizing to _your_ boyfriend for the better part of a day and a half, in fact, I have an appointment to talk to him later," I said. "But it's not even my fault, because I sure wasn't planning on doing anything with anyone, especially you, and then you went and did that, so why have I been apologizing? Because you're a bitch, that's why." I turned on my heel and stormed all the way back to the main building. I took the shortcut through the boys' locker room into the kitchen. I'm still not sure why that's a shortcut, really. It sounds weird, I know. Upon my arrival in the kitchen, I found that Kelsi had had to leave to play a special luncheon for my mother and the board, however twisted that is. I left a message with Chad to have Kelsi find me when she was finished, and went up to my bed to meditate.

Eventually, a knock on the door: Kelsi.

"How'd your talk do?" she asked, sitting down in my desk chair.

"Awful," I said. "Gabi's hiding something, I know it."

"I'll try and talk to her for you," Kelsi said.

"What I really want to know is why Troy took her back," I said.

"Why, cuz you want him for yourself?" Kelsi asked, sticking her tongue out.

"No! I have a girlfriend, remember?" I said, in mock shock.

"Yeah, me," Kelsi said, rolling her eyes.

"Speaking of which, we should probably set up a date," I reminded. "Tomorrow after work?"

"Sounds like a plan. Where are we going?"

"I dunno. A movie? I think Hairspray is still playing," I said. I'd never been on a date before, and wasn't exactly sure what you did on one.

"Sure. Course we already saw it together, but we're a couple now, so it's obviously different," she said, sarcastically.

"Of course," I agreed. "Friends don't kiss."

"Yet we have before," she sighed.

"Parties don't count," I said, obstinately.

"You have to go talk to Troy," Kelsi interrupted, checking her watch.

"I don't want to," I whined.

"But he's sexy and you can stare at him," Kelsi said, waving her eyebrows around. I frowned.

"I was trying not to think about that," I whined, but I got up and went out to the golf course, where Troy was just finishing his lesson.

* * *

**A/N: You guys need to keep me on top of this. I practically forgot I was writing this, at a completely standstill in production in mid-chapter five. **

**More to come. Love you guys! I don't own jack. Please leave me a review or 9.**

**xoxo Samantha oxox**


	4. Right Here, Right Now

**Chapter Four: Right Here, Right Now**

I waited by the edge of the golf course, already regretting anything that was about to happen. And tried not to stare. And kinda wondered about Troy and Gabriella's sex life. I, and everyone in the school, knew they'd never made it together. Hell, the first time they'd kissed have been just a few weeks before. I vaguely wondered if Troy had ever had sex with anyone, but he came over and interrupted my thoughts.

"Alright, Evans, let's talk," he said.

"Okay, where?"

"Here's good."

"But there are people here," I whined. He looked around, then motioned for me to follow him to the middle of the eighth fairway, which was not too far off.

"Private enough for you?"

"Sure," I said. I hadn't really cared, but whining is fun. "What did you want to talk about?"

"Chad and I were talking and you need to answer some questions," he said. I immediately thought the worst. What if Chad had told him. "Gabriella. What is this thing?"

"We don't have a thing," I said.

"What really happened that night?" Troy asked me. I had to grit my teeth and bear it.

"I don't know, and it's been a wakeup call for me," I said. "You'll have to ask her."

"What was going on with you this summer?" he asked.

"That was just me being nice. When you sister cuts you out of the show and decides to sing with Mr. Troy Bolton, big shot, scoring his touchdowns–" I began.

"I don't play football," Troy interrupted, confused.

"–it's common courtesy to join up with the big shot's friends and choreograph them a number to win the talent show, because Mr. Big Shot, Troy Bolton, bailed on them."

"And I said I was sorry," Troy said.

"And quite frankly, the big shot's friends are not so good with the rhythm and keeping in time," I continued. "I was being _nice_. It may come as a shock to you that I'm capable of it, but yes, I am. And it might also come as a shock to you that I have a first name. _Ryan_."

"So you never liked Gabriella?" Troy asked.

"Why would I have gotten you back together if I had?" I asked. That stopped him dead in his tracks.

"I- I don't know," he said. "I forgot you did that."

"That and fixing you up with Gabriella put you out of Sharpay's grasp, and that made Zeke happy."

"No offense to your sister, but never _ever_ again," Troy said. We laughed. "So you and Kelsi, huh?"

"Yeah," I said. I didn't really know how long I was going to be able to keep up this charade with Kelsi. I was afraid she'd want to move out of my comfort zone. Maybe I shouldn't have been worried, if I'd already been there with Gabriella. "Yeah, she's great."

"I've been waiting for you to ask her out for a long time," he said.

"Really?" I asked, surprised. "Thought you thought I was gay."

"Yes and no," he said slowly. It appeared as though he was trying to think on his feet, and he wasn't as good at it as I was.

"It's okay if you thought I was," I said.

"Well, I did. Everyone did. But, c'mon, you drink beer! And I've seen you and Kelsi together," Troy said. "You're pretty cool. We should hang out more."

"Sure. When's the next staff baseball game?" I asked.

"Thursday," he said.

"Are you gonna play this time?" I asked him. He laughed.

"Maybe."

"With you on their team, the Wildcats have got no chance," I joked.

"Yeah, you're probably right," he agreed. He glanced at his wrist. "Oh, man, I gotta get back to work."

"You know you're not wearing a watch, right?" I asked him. He looked at me like I was absolutely insane.

"Dude, it's 2:43. I have to be back at work in two minutes," he said. I checked the time on my phone, and he was right, but there was no way he could have possibly known that.

"Alright, get back to work before you get fired," I said.

"You wouldn't let them fire me!" he pouted.

"Sure I would," I said, "but you've probably got job security for life as long as Sharpay's around."

"Oh, man," Troy groaned. I laughed.

"See you later, Troy."

"Bye, Ryan." I walked back into the clubhouse. It could have gone much worse. It wasn't that bad at all. Momentarily, I forgot why I hated him. Then it all came rushing back to me. Kelsi was waiting for me in the piano room off the kitchen.

"How'd it go?" she asked.

"Pretty amazing," I said. "He's a pretty cool dude, although I may never live down the fact that I drink beer."

"Well, it is a straighter drink than fits your personality," Kelsi said, fairly. "You should be drinking something fancier, like Appletinis."

"Never been much of a fan of hard liquor," I said. "Can't hold very much down." Kelsi laughed and I smiled at her. "So. Does everyone else know about us?"

"It's about half and half," she said. "I didn't tell anyone, I swear. Except Martha. And Zeke and Chad knew form this morning. Chad told Taylor, so Gabriella found out. It's spread through the whole basketball team and most of the cheerleaders."

"Good news travels fast around here, then," I said. "Troy knows. He said he was rooting for us."

"That's nice of him," Kelsi said, though she sounded confused.

"I know," I laughed. "He has got to have the world's worst gaydar." I took her hand and pulled her into the kitchen, which was full of our school chums eating lunch. "Hi kids, what's new?" The kitchen erupted into cheers, that I'm sure could be heard out on the golf course. I rolled my eyes.

"Thanks, you guys," Kelsi said. The only person in the room who didn't look happy was Jason, who, for once, seemed to know exactly what was going on. Through the crowd and cheers, I could just see him dump his plate in the trash and storm out.

* * *

The next evening, I was running around like a chicken with its head cut off. I was definitely going to be late for my date with Kelsi. Eventually, I found the green polo I was looking for, and pulled it on to match my black pants. Grabbing my hat as I ran out of my room at full speed, I ended up in the lobby just a few seconds short of being late. Darling Kelsi was waiting for me there, ready for me to whisk her into the horizon. I took her hand.

"How's it going, baby?" I asked as we walked. I knew what she was thinking, but she knew better than to say it. We're finally going on a date. It's the best day of her life.

"Both Sharpay and Fulton have asked me what I'm still doing here, but I shook them off. Dating at Evans has its benefits," she said. We approached the garage where my mini was kept. It was Kelsi's favorite of my various vehicles. I put the top down and we drove back into the city to go to the movies. We discussed out favorite parts of Hairspray. Mine was when Link gets detention; Kelsi's was Tracy and Link in the music shop, after Big, Blonde, and Beautiful.

"Yeah, that's good," I said. "What about Without Love?"

"I'm annoyed they cut Tracy's verse," Kelsi said. When we had done Hairspray at East Albuquerque Performing Arts Center, I had starred as Link (Sharpay was Amber). The movie was, by far, better.

"Yeah, but the movie's so much better than the play," I said.

"You only think that because of Zac Efron," she said.

"No, I don't! You're not helping this experiment, Kelsi," I whined, just as I pulled up to a stop sign. I caught her eyeing me, as if trying to decide what she wanted to do with me. She wouldn't do anything too bad, would she?

I bought our tickets, popcorn, and sodas. As we watched the movie, my thoughts drifted to Kelsi. If I had ever liked a girl, she was Kelsi. More than once, in fact more than 20 times, I had considered denying my sexuality completely and just sticking with Kelsi. But she deserved more than that, and it would never make me truly happy.

"Now what?" I asked as the credits rolled.

"Let's go back to your place. We can lie in the garden and look at the sky for a while," she replied. I should have been suspicious. I really should have known what would happen. Yet, somehow I managed to hold on to the fantasy that I'd be able to keep her from… Well, anyway. I drove us to the house (The Evans Mansion, if you prefer. I don't). We trudged through the house, out to the gardens, where we laid down a blanket I'd snagged on our way through the house.

"Oh, look, there's the first star!" Kelsi exclaimed, pointing to the West.

"It's beautiful," I said.

"Like me?"

"Of course."

"Like Troy?"

"Kelsi…" I said, warningly.

"I'm serious, Ryan. Here and now, are you attracted to me?" she asked.

"No, but I so want to be," I said. She leaned in and kissed me, pushing me to the ground as she did so. After what seemed like far too long for us not to have been passed out for lack of air, she backed away a few feet, our lips breaking apart with a sickening squelching sound. I just stared at her.

"And?" she finally prompted. I shook my head. She sighed, very frustrated. A single tear fell.

"You have no idea, how much I want to be," I said. "I could pretend for you, forever, but it wouldn't be fair to either of us."

"I know," Kelsi said, sighing again. "What about just for tonight?"

"Tonight, it's only you and me," I said, grinning.

* * *

**A/N: Sooo, my hard drive died and I lost everything. **_**Everything**_**. **_**EVERYTHING**_**. Let's not dwell on this. Have Chapter Four and expect updates even less often than I was before. **

**Dunno if I told you this yet, but I'm working on a project (which I lost, but I'm rewriting it and it's slow) wherein Troy/Ryan/Sharpay/Zeke/Gabriella's future children (along with Chad/Taylor's kids and the rest of them) join a Glee Club at East High which is run by Ryan. It's confusing because it involves a lot of OC's but it's my baby project right now, and I love it. Maybe I'll post it?**

**xoxo Samantha**


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